Applying B52 Paraloid to Welsh Trilobites

[ShinySpirals]

Hi all, I just came back from a trip to Upper Gilwern in Wales with a car full of Ogy trilos. I was wondering if anyone had tried applying a light layer of paraloid to fossils from here and what the results look like? I feel like they show best when wet and a light varnish may help them stand out. Please let me know your thoughts and your experiences with this if you've tried. Thanks in advance!

[Masonk]

I use a similar product called PVA, available in the states. I apply it to a lot of my fossil finds, especially those from the Carboniferous and earlier that have a less forgiving matrix.

 

Before and after application photos of some Carboniferous seed fern fossils from Centralia, PA.

 

Helps preserve the fossil and looks better when treated, IMHO. 

 

 

 

Edited July 10 by Masonk

[ShinySpirals]

8 minutes ago, Masonk said:

I use a similar product called PVA, available in the states. I apply it to a lot of my fossil finds, especially those from the Carboniferous and earlier. 

 

Before and after application photos of some Carboniferous seed fern fossils from Centralia, PA.

 

Helps preserve the fossil and looks better when treated, IMHO. 

 

 

 

Hi Eric,

 

Thank you for responding to me so quickly. The treated fern fossils look really vibrant, much more so than untreated. Stunning colours!

 

I will have an experiment with one and see how it turns out. Thanks for your advice 

[rocket]

I am unsure if I like Paraloid B52 or not. It makes good results, but changed the color of the fossil or the surface to a (sometimes) not real status. 

The results you show are nice, colors a more intensive and better.

@ShinySpirals: I love the headline, Paranoid B52, I was very curious about what it would be about 

[Masonk]

45 minutes ago, ShinySpirals said:

Hi Eric,

 

Thank you for responding to me so quickly. The treated fern fossils look really vibrant, much more so than untreated. Stunning colours!

 

I will have an experiment with one and see how it turns out. Thanks for your advice 

 

Thanks!

 

Stunning Trilobites, by the way!

[ShinySpirals]

12 hours ago, rocket said:

I am unsure if I like Paraloid B52 or not. It makes good results, but changed the color of the fossil or the surface to a (sometimes) not real status. 

The results you show are nice, colors a more intensive and better.

@ShinySpirals: I love the headline, Paranoid B52, I was very curious about what it would be about 

Yes I've had mixed results before too, I found on a beautiful iridescent ammonite I had it really took out all the colour. Seems to depend a lot on what it's being applied to. 

 

Haha yes autocorrect strikes again! 

[FranzBernhard]

I see no point covering a fossil with something, unless this is necessary to avoid degradation over time.

Franz Bernhard

[LSG Lab]

19 hours ago, Masonk said:

I use a similar product called PVA, available in the states. I apply it to a lot of my fossil finds, especially those from the Carboniferous and earlier that have a less forgiving matrix.

 

Before and after application photos of some Carboniferous seed fern fossils from Centralia, PA.

 

Helps preserve the fossil and looks better when treated, IMHO. 

 

 

 

I do not recommend PVA, because once it dries, nothing will ever adhere to it, so if you need to consolidate your specimen once again or reglue something that came loose, you will need to wash away all the PVA. But if the fossil is already unstable, it probably won't stand washing... 

[jpc]

Be careful when talking about PVA.

 

PVA (polyvinylacetate) is used for several different products.  To non-fossil people it is the main ingredient in Elmer's glue.  Don't know if they have Elmer's in the UK, but it is white school glue.  But PVA to many fossil folks is polyvinylacetate dissolved in acetone, often called Vinac.

 

LSG Lab's comments about PVA above are true for Elmer's glue but false for vinac.  Vinac is easily dissolved in more acetone.  Elmer's is tough to remove once it is set.    

[Masonk]

3 hours ago, LSG Lab said:

I do not recommend PVA, because once it dries, nothing will ever adhere to it, so if you need to consolidate your specimen once again or reglue something that came loose, you will need to wash away all the PVA. But if the fossil is already unstable, it probably won't stand washing... 

 

It's done well for me so far. I'm using it only on my Devonian and Carboniferous material. More so to ensure the matrix remains stable while in storage or on display, and usually so far once and done ('ve only been collecting a little over a year).

 

I'm not using it in the field for consolidation, but I'm also not really collecting anything significant enough to need to. 

 

I haven't had to remove any so far, but @jpc's comments is how I understand the product works, that it's easily reversible with acetone. 

 

 

Edited July 11 by Masonk

[LSG Lab]

 I am talking about the water-based white glue, the Elmer. Once set, it can only be softened with water and removed mechanically (unthinkable for very porous and/or fragile fossils). I have read though that many people use precisely the white glue for consolidation or gluing. I had myself attempted to consolidate the root of a very fragile shark tooth with it, and some years after a piece of the root came off (on top of everything it isn't strong). Fortunately the root was largely unpenetrated by the glue, so I consolidated it with paraloid B-72 and then reglued the two pieces. The pieces would not adhere where white glue was present, but it was only on a small area. 

I never used vinac, but at least it will cause less trouble to remove. I think @Masonk's fossils should be fine, they don't look particularly fragile to me. But I had to deal with ammonites that are not stronger than clay and cracked, liquid icthyosaur bones at some time. 

[trilobites_are_awesome]

I personally hate varnish, I think it looks really ugly.